Royale Racing
British constructor of single-seater, sports and endurance racing cars.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Royale Racing, also known as Royale Race Cars, was a British racing-car constructor active primarily from the late 1960s through the 1980s. The company developed and built competition cars for a broad range of formulae, including Formula Ford, Formula Ford 2000, Formula Super Vee, Formula Atlantic, Formula 3, Formula Talbot, Sports 2000 and Group C-style endurance racing. Unlike a conventional road-car manufacturer, Royale operated as a specialist constructor whose cars were sold to private entrants, professional teams and distributors for use in national and international motor-sport series. The company grew out of Bob King's earlier business, Racing Preparations. King had initially acquired an Elva with the intention of competing himself, but his activities expanded into preparing cars for other drivers. Racing Preparations developed particular expertise with Coventry Climax engines. As demand for that engine work declined, King and business partner Alan Cornock shifted toward designing and manufacturing complete racing cars. King established Royale in 1968, choosing the name in reference to the Park Royal area of London. The first prototype was the RP1, with the RP designation derived from Racing Preparations. Designer Bob Marston, who later worked for Lola Cars, was responsible for the early design. The RP2 became the first Royale production model, with approximately 30 examples built. Royale quickly established a presence in junior single-seater racing. Its cars competed successfully in Formula Super Vee in both Europe and North America, while the company also entered Formula Ford, Formula Atlantic and Formula 3. Drivers including Ray Allen, Billy Scott, Manfred Schurti, Tom Pryce, Geoff Lees, Bobby Rahal, Rad Dougall, David Leslie, Kenny Acheson and Jonathan Palmer achieved race wins, podiums or championship success in Royale machinery. The marque was especially competitive in the British Formula Ford and Formula Ford 2000 categories during the 1970s and early 1980s. In 1977, Rad Dougall won both the BARC and MCD Formula Ford 2000 championships in a Royale, while David Leslie won the BARC Formula Ford 1600 title in Royale equipment. Royale also pursued more technically varied projects. Rory Byrne, who later became prominent in Formula One design, contributed to the RP19 and other Royale projects. The company produced a Formula Talbot car for the short-lived series using a 1.6-litre Talbot Sunbeam engine, and it entered Sports 2000 with the S2000M and later RP42 models. In endurance racing, Royale developed the RP40 Group C car. After Royale stopped producing cars, that design was rebadged as the Argo JM16. The RP40 recorded notable results, including a class podium at the 1986 24 Hours of Daytona and a podium at the Watkins Glen 500 Kilometres. Royale's commercial position weakened as larger specialist constructors such as Van Diemen and Reynard became increasingly dominant in junior formulae, while competitors including Tiga and Shrike challenged its Sports 2000 efforts. The original manufacturing operation eventually ceased producing racing cars. In 2008, Christopher Shoemaker acquired rights to the Royale trademarks and established Royale Racing LLC. The later organization is associated with the repair, maintenance and rental of historic Royale cars rather than the manufacture of new original vehicles. Consequently, the historic constructor is best understood as defunct, while the surviving name has a limited heritage and vintage-racing role.
History
Royale Racing developed from Racing Preparations, a business established by Bob King after his experience acquiring, racing and preparing automobiles. Racing Preparations concentrated on preparing cars for customers and working with Coventry Climax engines. When the market for Coventry Climax engine services weakened, King and Alan Cornock decided that designing complete racing cars offered a stronger direction. Royale was founded in 1968 and was named after Park Royal in London. The first project was the RP1, designed by Bob Marston. The initials reflected the company's Racing Preparations origins. The RP2 was the first production Royale and approximately 30 were constructed. Early cars entered international junior categories, with the RP2 achieving a notable result in the Brazilian Formula Ford championship. Royale expanded its range in 1970, producing the RP4 for Formula F100 and other applications, the RP8 for Formula Atlantic, and additional cars for Formula Super Vee and Formula 3. The 1971–1974 period brought substantial competition success. Billy Scott won the American Formula Super Vee championship twice, while Manfred Schurti and other drivers delivered strong results in Europe. Tom Pryce began racing Royale machinery in British Formula 3 and later won in Formula Atlantic. Ray Allen also won and achieved podium finishes in Atlantic competition. Royale cars recorded success in the SCCA National Championship Runoffs, including William Holbrook's C Sports Racer victory in an RP4. Formula Super Vee remained a major area of activity, with drivers such as Harry Ingle, Bob Lazier and Tom Bagley winning races or finishing highly in championship standings. Royale's 1975 program included the RP19, on which Rory Byrne worked as a designer, and the RP21 used by Geoff Lees. Lees won the Formula Ford Festival as well as the BRDC and BRSCC Formula Ford championships. As Formula Super Vee declined, Royale redirected engineering resources toward Formula Ford 2000. Byrne designed a prototype that led to the RP25, which entered production in 1977. A separate 1976 Formula 3 project was sold before completion to Roger Andreason and Paul Fox; it was completed as the Druid 377 and later adapted for Formula Atlantic competition. The late 1970s were particularly strong in Formula Ford and Formula Ford 2000. Jim Walsh won the 1976 BRDC Formula Ford championship. Rad Dougall won both the BARC and MCD Formula Ford 2000 championships in 1977 after taking 14 races, while Kenny Gray added three victories. David Leslie won the BARC Formula Ford 1600 championship in a Royale, and Kenny Acheson won the same championship the following year. In 1980 Royale produced cars for Formula Talbot, a series using 1.6-litre Talbot Sunbeam engines and methanol fuel. Pat Symonds designed Royale's Formula Talbot, Formula Ford 1600 and Formula Ford 2000 cars during this period. The RP27 dominated the 1980 BARC Formula Ford 2000 championship, with Richard Trott taking the title and also winning the MCD championship. Royale remained competitive in 1981 and 1982, although Van Diemen's growing dominance made the junior-formula market more difficult. Royale entered Sports 2000 with the S2000M in 1982. Its cars won races in British Sports 2000 and achieved podiums in the Thundersports championship. Bob Marston designed a later Sports 2000 car, the RP42, which enabled Mike Taylor to finish second in the championship in 1985 and win the title the following season. Royale also built the RP40 Group C car. The design achieved a ninth-place result on its debut at the 1984 24 Hours of Daytona and later delivered significant GTP Lights results, including second at the 1986 Daytona race. Competitive pressure from better-funded or more established constructors, particularly Van Diemen and Reynard in junior formulae and Tiga and Shrike in Sports 2000, limited Royale's later commercial prospects. The original constructor ceased producing racing cars during the 1980s. In 2008, Christopher Shoemaker acquired the trademark rights and created Royale Racing LLC. The later entity preserves the marque by maintaining, repairing and renting historic Royale cars, but it is not described as a producer of new original Royale vehicles.
- 2008
Royale Racing LLC is established
[1]Christopher Shoemaker acquired the trademark rights and formed a company focused on historic-car maintenance, repair and rental.
- 1986
RP42 wins the Sports 2000 championship
[1]Mike Taylor won the British Sports 2000 championship in a Royale RP42 after finishing runner-up the previous season.
- 1984
RP40 appears in endurance racing
[1]The RP40 Group C car recorded a ninth-place result at the 24 Hours of Daytona; the design was later associated with Argo as the JM16.
- 1982
Royale enters Sports 2000
[1]The S2000M became Royale's first Sports 2000 car and won three races in the British championship.
- 1980
Royale dominates the BARC Formula Ford 2000 championship
[1]RP27 cars won every race in the BARC Formula Ford 2000 championship, with Richard Trott taking the title.
- 1977
Royale wins major Formula Ford 2000 championships
[1]Rad Dougall won the BARC and MCD Formula Ford 2000 championships, while Royale also took the BARC Formula Ford 1600 title.
- 1975
Formula Super Vee production ends
[1]Royale built its last Formula Super Vee cars and increasingly concentrated on Formula Ford 2000 and related categories.
- 1971
Royale achieves major Formula Super Vee results
[1]Royale drivers won the opening and final rounds of the German championship, while Billy Scott won the American championship.
- 1968
Royale is founded
[1]Bob King founded Royale after shifting from customer race preparation to the construction of complete racing cars with Alan Cornock.
RP2 enters production
[1]The RP2 became the first production Royale, with approximately 30 examples built.
Products and positioning
A specialist British customer-racing constructor focused on relatively accessible, competitive cars for junior single-seater and sports-racing categories, later remembered through historic racing and preservation.
Formula racing car
RP2
The RP2 was Royale's first production racing car and followed the RP1 prototype. Around 30 examples were built. It competed in junior single-seater racing, including Formula Ford activity in Brazil, where a Royale driver achieved a third-place championship result.
Formula and sports racing car · 1970
RP4
The RP4 was used across several categories, including Formula F100 and C Sports Racer competition. Ray Allen dominated the newly established Formula F100 series in an RP4, and William Holbrook won the C Sports Racer class at the SCCA National Championship Runoffs.
Formula Ford car · 1975
RP21
The RP21 was a Formula Ford design associated with Royale's successful 1975 season. Geoff Lees used an RP21 to win the Formula Ford Festival, as well as the BRDC and BRSCC Formula Ford championships.
Formula Ford 2000 car · 1977
RP25
The RP25 was developed from a prototype designed by Rory Byrne as Royale moved toward Formula Ford 2000 after Formula Super Vee production ended. Production began in 1977, and Royale cars achieved major British championship success in the category.
Formula Ford 2000 car · 1980
RP27
The RP27 was one of Royale's strongest junior-formula designs. In 1980, RP27s won every race in the BARC Formula Ford 2000 championship, while Richard Trott secured both the BARC and MCD titles.
Sports 2000 car · 1982
S2000M
Introduced in 1982, the S2000M was Royale's first Sports 2000 car. It won three races in the British championship and also achieved podium finishes in the Thundersports series, establishing Royale in a sports-racing category beyond single-seaters.
Sports 2000 car
RP42
The RP42 was a later Sports 2000 design by Bob Marston. Mike Taylor won six races with the model and finished second in the championship before using it to win the following season's British title.
Group C endurance racing car · 1984
RP40
The RP40 was Royale's first Group C project. It scored a ninth-place finish at the 1984 24 Hours of Daytona and later achieved a second-place GTP Lights result at the 1986 Daytona event. After Royale production ended, the design was rebadged as the Argo JM16.
Brand decisions
2008
Trademark rights transferred to a historic-racing businessM&ABackground
The original Royale manufacturing operation had ceased producing racing cars.
Action taken
Christopher Shoemaker acquired the trademark rights and established Royale Racing LLC.
Aftermath
The Royale name continued through maintenance, repair and rental of vintage Royale machinery rather than new-car production.
1982
Expansion into Sports 2000StrategyBackground
Royale sought to broaden its product range beyond junior single-seaters.
Action taken
The company entered Sports 2000 with the S2000M.
Aftermath
Royale won British Sports 2000 races and later developed the RP42, which won the championship with Mike Taylor.
1975
Move toward Formula Ford 2000StrategyBackground
Formula Super Vee production was coming to an end, reducing the value of Royale's existing specialization.
Action taken
Royale redirected development toward Formula Ford 2000 and commissioned new designs including the RP25.
Aftermath
The company achieved major British championship results, particularly with Rad Dougall and later the RP27.
1968
Shift from race preparation to car constructionStrategyBackground
Racing Preparations had specialized in preparing customer cars and working with Coventry Climax engines, but demand for that engine work declined.
Action taken
Bob King and Alan Cornock established Royale as a constructor of complete racing cars.
Aftermath
The move created a multi-category racing-car business whose cars competed in formula and sports-racing championships internationally.
Sources2 sources
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